Report - Tottenham House - May 2016-January 2018 (Renovated and Lived In - No Go)

[Dragon_Urbex]

First and foremost, I would like to say that this place has been renovated and is now lived in. Don't try it, or you will have both on site security and police coming down on you in a moment!!

There has been a house on the site of Tottenham House since the 15th century but the present Palladian mansion dates from 1812-1815 and was designed by architects Thomas Cundy Sr and Thomas Cundy Jr. The present house was built for Charles, 1st Marquess of Ailesbury, around the central core of a 17th century Classical house designed by Lord Burlington, a relation of the Ailesburys. The mansion is quite frankly vast, incorporating numerous beautifully decorated state rooms. The house is the ancestral home of David Brudenell-Bruce, Earl of Cardigan, who recently lost a legal battle with the estate trustees after the Brudenell-Bruce family fell upon hard times. The trustees had wanted to sell Tottenham House and 200 acres of parkland and finally managed so in late 2014 via court of appeal. It was bought in 2014 by the businessman Jamie Ritblat who is the CEO of the property developer Delancey. Recent update: the house has been bought by a London banker to become his residence and is now being lived in by him and his family - information comes from the Earl and Countess of Cardigan whom are good friends of mine.

I visited the house numerous times between 2016 and 2019, exploring as much as I could. Security was always fairly tight here, with Gurkhas stationed there. These photos are from both a 2016 explore and a January 2018 open day that showcased the redevelopment proposals. I've had these photos sitting on my harddrive for donkeys years so I thought I'd upload them. Enjoy!

(This barrel vault and clock tower has now collapsed.)

Thanks for readin'!

 

[jtza]

Those ceilings are niceee

 

[Dragon_Urbex]

Those ceilings are niceee

They are. I think I got carried away with photographing them though...!

 

[jtza]

They are. I think I got carried away with photographing them though...!

The more the better with things like that!

 

[Calamity Jane]

Yep agree those ceilings are really well restored. Some cracking shots here. Grand interior for a grand build. Nice to see a place like this getting restored to its former glory. Thanks for sharing

 

[tumbles]

Nicely done. Always had fun here back in the day. The guardians were a strange bunch.

 

[Dragon_Urbex]

Yep agree those ceilings are really well restored. Some cracking shots here. Grand interior for a grand build. Nice to see a place like this getting restored to its former glory. Thanks for sharing

They were unrestored in these photographs actually. Surprisingly well preserved.

 

[Dragon_Urbex]

Nicely done. Always had fun here back in the day. The guardians were a strange bunch.

Aye, it was an incredible place to explore. The guards were actually very nice and friendly, just couldn't understand them much because their English wasn't too great. Got caught about three times maybe, first time being when I hid in one of the big pine trees near the stables on the north side of the house! They thought that was really funny.

 

[tumbles]

Aye, it was an incredible place to explore. The guards were actually very nice and friendly, just couldn't understand them much because their English wasn't too great. Got caught about three times maybe, first time being when I hid in one of the big pine trees near the stables on the north side of the house! They thought that was really funny.

Nah Guardians, there were people still living inside this. Talking 12 years ago now mind

 

[Dragon_Urbex]

Nah Guardians, there were people still living inside this. Talking 12 years ago now mind

Oh you mean the caretakers? Yeah, the Earl told me he had a caretaker, groundskeeper and a game keeper living in there to keep it occupied while he tried having it turned into a hotel. He actually gave me all the old hotel architectural plans as he was going to burn them. All changed when the estate trustees sold it.

 

[Calamity Jane]

They were unrestored in these photographs actually. Surprisingly well preserved.

Wow, really well preserved then. But then I guess vandals & thieves are not after ceilings. What a cracking sight that must of been, mind you with that kind of security Its helped alot. Beautiful place

 

[Dragon_Urbex]

Ver

Wow, really well preserved then. But then I guess vandals & thieves are not after ceilings. What a cracking sight that must of been, mind you with that kind of security Its helped alot. Beautiful place

VERY well preserved. I am so thankful the vandals and goontubers never got to this place otherwise it would have been WRECKED. Totally and utterly wrecked.